The judges cited Ms Smith’s entrepreneurial flair, leadership and the positive difference she has made to the mortgage industry since she started with Aussie in 2010 as the main things that saw her stand out from the pack.

Ms Smith said, “I entered mortgage broking to help other working families with young children and I believe I am achieving this goal. I focus on leading by example and I am now approached by other mums across the country wanting to become mortgage brokers. They can see this is a great industry for women and a way to do meaningful work and run your own business.”

Ms Smith helped initiate an Aussie women’s group within the highly male-dominated industry. She is also helping drive a project to improve customer contact through more user-friendly online formats for application and loan documents.

Founder and Executive Chairman of Aussie, Mr John Symond AM, said “Melanie embodies the entrepreneurial spirit of all our employees and is leading the way for other women seeking to run a successful and rewarding business while helping Australian families find the right mortgage solution.

“Awards like this highlight our dedication to helping find the right outcome for our customers. We are always very happy when our brokers are recognised by their peers in our industry for their hard work,” he added.

The Better Business Awards bring together the industry's finest, recognising brokers and brokerages for their outstanding achievements. Winning a BBA is one of the most prestigious accolades for a mortgage and finance professional in Australia.